Beef should stay local

March 23, 2008

To the editor - On Feb. 17, 143 million pounds of beef were recalled by the United States Department of Agriculture. Some of that beef had already gone to South Dakota schools. South Dakota schools should use homegrown beef to feed students. When we import beef, we are taking business away from ranchers that raise beef in state. It costs more to import beef from California. With the price of diesel at about $3.50 per gallon, they go through a lot of fuel getting the product over here. Also, if the processor does something wrong and the beef is recalled, everyone is affected. Schools especially have troubles. They lose time and effort in the struggle to find replacement beef and new menus. According to Shirley Jeschke, food administrator at Edmunds Central School in Roscoe, it is a waste of resources and money to have all this beef recalled from our schools when it never should have come to South Dakota anyway. There is no reason to purchase foreign beef, and have it imported, when we have it right under our noses. Schools should be able to buy beef from their own state when possible. Dennis McClendon III Leola